emdiplomacy

emdiplomacy OP , 3 days ago

@historikerinnen @histodons @womenknowhistory @earlymodern

From the #HRE we turn to another quite special actor: #earlymodern #Switzerland. We are very happy to have found none other than Sarah Rindlisbacher Thomi from the university of Bern as an author.

Rindlisbacher wrote her PhD on “Ambassadors of Protestantism. Foreign policy activities of Zurich's town clergy in the 17th century” (in German). So who could be better suited to tell us about the characteristics of Swiss #emdiplomacy?! (2/5)

https://www.wallstein-verlag.de/9783835352360-botschafter-des-protestantismus.html

#diplomacy #history #Zurich #earlyModernEurope

emdiplomacy OP , 3 days ago

@historikerinnen @histodons @earlymodern

Swiss #emdiplomacy differed in many ways from #emdiplomacy by European #monarchies. For one, the Swiss Cantons didn’t develop a centralized foreign office and didn’t sent permanent #emdiplomats to foreign courts. Instead, they relied heavily on informal diplomatic actors, such as military officers, merchants and clergymen.
This was much cheaper and helped them avoid ceremonial conflicts that they usually could not win against the great European powers. (3/5)

#emdiplomacy #earlymodern #history #histodons #earlyModernEurope

emdiplomacy OP , 3 days ago

@historikerinnen @histodons @earlymodern

Nonetheless, Switzerland was because of its geopolitical position of great interest for these foreign powers. Thus, they sent their diplomats who then struggled to understand the dynamics of Swiss politics that differed quite a bit from European monarchies. (4/5)

#eamdiplomacy #earlymodern #history #earlyModernEurope #diplomacy #switzerland

emdiplomacy OP , 3 days ago

@historikerinnen @histodons @earlymodern

As Swiss #diplomacy worked a bit differently, it helps us realize the variety of #emdiplomacy. (5/5)

#earlymodern #earlyModernEurope #monarchies #diplomacy #history #histodons

emdiplomacy OP , 4 days ago

@regordane @earlymodern @historikerinnen @histodons

That's true. In general, a treaty might be the conclusion of the negotiations leading up to it, but it's never the end. It's often the beginning of an alliance or a relation on the basis of peace instead of war. In case of marriage treaties it's even closer.

emdiplomacy OP , 8 days ago

@historikerinnen @histodons @earlymodern

Today’s #handbook author is none other than our wonderful co-editor @dorotheegoetze.
Goetze is Assistant Professor at the Midsweden University in Sundsvall. If you ask her herself, she is not an historian of #emdiplomacy, but does constitutional history and early modern peace research with a special focus on the #HolyRomanEmpire and the Baltic region. Thus, she brings different perspectives into the field of #NewDiplomaticHistory.
She publishes extensively in German, Swedish and English, e.g. this #openaccess article in English on hospitality and the Riga capitulation in 1710. (2/7)

https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-030-98527-1_7

#earlymodern #history #earlyModernEurope #HRE

emdiplomacy OP , 8 days ago

@historikerinnen @histodons @earlymodern

So, who could be better than to tackle the challenging topic of #emdiplomacy and the #HRE?!
There’s no comprehensive overview on this subject – with good reasons, as Goetze explains, that have a lot to do with the complex constitutional structure of the #HRE as well as its research tradition. (3/3)

#emdiplomacy #earlymodern
#history #earlyModernEurope #histodons

emdiplomacy OP , 8 days ago

@historikerinnen @histodons @earlymodern

To understand #emdiplomacy in the #HRE on its different levels we need to know at least a tiny bit about the constitutional foundation which is, as Goetze puts it, like the “taming of the shrewd”.

According to the institutional structure of the #HRE one can identify three levels of #emdiplomacy: 1) the Imperial level 2) the level of the Reichskreise, that can be described as regional administrative groupings 3) the level of individual Imperial estates. (4/7)

#HolyRomanEmpire #constitutionalHistory #diplomacy #earlymodern #history #histodons #ImperialDiet

emdiplomacy OP , 8 days ago

@historikerinnen @histodons @earlymodern

Research generally focusses on #emdiplomacy on the Imperial level mainly at courts, while ignoring the intra-Imperial forms of diplomacy. With regard to the Imperial #diets this means, they are either regarded from an institutional perspective or with a focus on foreign actors who came to the diets to pursue their interests. However, Goetze argues that for the Imperial estates diets and meetings of the Kreise were central not only for discussing matters concerning the #HRE as a whole, but also for bilateral talks between the estates.

Ignoring the intra-Imperial aspects of #emdiplomacy leads to a simplified understanding of #emdiplomacy within in the context of the #HRE and in general. (5/7)

#HolyRomanEmpire #diplomacy #earlymodern #ImperialDiet #history #histodons

emdiplomacy OP , 8 days ago

@historikerinnen @histodons @earlymodern

Goetze then turns her attention to #emdiplomacy by individual Imperial estates. Exemplary she focusses on Brandenburg, Saxony and Hesse-Kassel. In general, she again regrets a lack of research. Although there are some studies focusing for example on the relations between Hesse-Kassel and Sweden, such studies are always limited on a particular period and case.

There’s a definite lack on studies who try to give a more concise overview and put the diplomatic activities of the different Imperial estates into context. (6/7)

#HRE #Saxony #Hesse-Kassel #Brandenburg #diplomacy #earlymodern #earlyModernEurope #history #histodons

emdiplomacy OP , 8 days ago

@historikerinnen @histodons @earlymodern

Summing up, Goetze concludes that the complexity of #emdiplomacy is reflected in the complexity of the #HRE and calls for more a more inclusive approach meaning more exchange between different research tradition, combining constitutional history, court studies and dynastic history and #NewDiplomaticHistory. (7/7)

#HolyRomanEmpire #earlymodern #earlyModernEurope #history #histodons #diplomacy #Court #constitutionalHistory #dynasticHistory

emdiplomacy OP , 17 days ago

@historikerinnen @histodons @earlymodern

Did you miss us? We’re back again introducing our next author Güneş Işıksel to you!
Işıksel is Associate professor at Istanbul Medeniyet University. He is an expert in Ottoman #emdiplomacy and published not only in Turkish but also in French and English. (2/7)

https://www.academia.edu/41404901/Hierarchy_and_Friendship_Ottoman_Practices_of_Diplomatic_Culture_and_Communication_1290s_1600_

#OttomanEmpire #diplomacy #history #histodons #earlymodern

emdiplomacy OP , 17 days ago

@historikerinnen @histodons @earlymodern

His monograph focusses on #emdiplomacy under Selim I. So who could be better than Işıksel for writing the #handbook article on the development of Ottoman #diplomacy?! (3/7)

https://www.peeters-leuven.be/detail.php?search_key=9789042931411&series_number_str=20&lang=en

#OttomanEmpire #earlymodern #history

emdiplomacy OP , 17 days ago

@historikerinnen @histodons @earlymodern

The Ottoman Empire is an important actor in #emdiplomacy. Many European researchers look at the relations of different European countries to the Ottoman Empire. But these accounts are often onesided, as they lack the required language skills. Therefore, we are very happy to have found an expert who can take on the Ottoman perspective! (4/7)

#OttomanEmpire #emdiplomacysSources #earlymodern #history

emdiplomacy OP , 17 days ago

@historikerinnen @histodons @earlymodern

Işıksel explains that Ottoman #emdiplomacy had to be in line with the precepts of the Hanafite school of Islamic law. However, these principles were regularly re-interpreted and adapted. Traditional European historiography sees the main shift in Ottoman #diplomacy in the 19th c. with the establishment of permanent embacys. However, Işıksel argues that this Eurocentric view ignores the many other diplomatic contacts and thus propose a different periodisation. (5/7)

#earlymodern #history #OttomanEmpire #histodons

emdiplomacy OP , 17 days ago

@historikerinnen @histodons @earlymodern

The first phase until the 1520s was characterised by bilateral treaties and marriage alliances with occasional exchanges of envoys.
This reciprocal approach changed fundamentally in the second phase (1520s to 1780s). From now on agreements were presented as an act of grace by the sultan. One did not meet with other powers on the same level anymore, but from a position of superiority.
In the third and final phase one can observed an increasing familiarity on the Ottoman side with #emdiplomacy and international law.
However, Işıksel warns us to be careful with such periodisations, as they tend to symplify matters and thus ignore the many variatons of Ottoman #emdiplomacy. (6/7)

#OttomanEmpire #diplomacy #earlymodern #history #histodons

emdiplomacy OP , 17 days ago

@historikerinnen @histodons @earlymodern

In his #handbook article Işıksel gives an overview on Ottoman adminstration concerned with diplomatic affairs and Ottoman #emdiplomacysSources, thus giving us insights into the functioning of #emdiplomacy.
He thereby stresses that there’s still much research to do, especially with regard to Ottoman #emdiplomats, their social backgrounds and their education.
Işıksel further explores the spheres of diplomatic activities of the Ottoman Empire: missions abroad, Istanbul as a central hub for #emdiplomacy and its involvement in congress diplomacy.
He finally argues that we should be careful not see the Ottoman Empire as a passive actor that was slowly integrated into European #emdiplomacy. Instead these processes were complex and multidimensional with the Ottomans adapting things according to their own ideas. (7/7)

#history #earlymodern #OttomanEmpire #histodons

emdiplomacy OP , 1 month ago

Today do not only want to welcome a new month and a new week but also a new author: Diana Cario-Ivernizzi who is a senior lecuterer in Art History at Universidad Nacional de la Educacíon a Distancia (UNED). Her research specialises in the connection between #emdiplomacy and culture on which she has published widely.

https://www.uned.es/universidad/docentes/geografia-historia/diana-carrio-invernizzi.html

For the #earlyModern #diplomacy #handbook she takes a different approach and describes the devolpment of #emdiplomacy in #Spain and #Portugal. (2/n)

@historikerinnen @histodons @earlymodern

emdiplomacy OP , 1 month ago

Diana Cario-Invernizzi points out that the term Spanish #emdiplomacy is an umbrella term that includes three different types of #diplomacy:

1. It applies to the diplomacy carried out in the name of the Spanish crown to conduct conquest in the non-European world.

2. It includes intra-Spanish diplomacy which is characterised by #envoys sent from various territories of the Spanish realm to meet the king.

3. Last but not least, there is outbound diplomacy which the Spanish crown conducted with other princes and polities in Europe. (3/n)

@historikerinnen @histodons @earlymodern

emdiplomacy OP , 1 month ago

According to Cario-Invernizzi the fact the Iberian kingsdoms were the first European realms to connect with the rest of the world on a grand scale, gave their diplomatic policies a unique character.

Diplomatic relations with Africa and Asia required constant negotiations, and even required tributes to be paid to guarantee the security of Europe’s presence in the area.

Distance was a significant factor in Iberian #diplomacy. Therefore, agents were sometimes sent to cover shorter distances. Moreover, diplomatic encounters in Eurasia did not take place between entire societies but rather between segments of societies or subcultures.

This fact suggests the existence of a cross-sectional diplomatic language between European and Asian societies. (4/n)

#earlyModern #emdiplomacy #Spain #Portugal

@historikerinnen @histodons @earlymodern

emdiplomacy OP , 1 month ago

The most important group of #ambassadors to Madrid were the French ambassador, the Imperial ambassador to the Empire, the nuncio, and the Venetian ambassador.

Madrid did not have a diplomatic district. Diplomatic #envoys did enjoy immunity in the #embassy, with the king himself offering them lodgings for rent upon their arrival. Nevertheless, the ambassadors complained of the difficulties in gaining an audience with the ruler.

Following the union of the Portuguese and Spanish crowns in 1580, a global dimension of Spanish #diplomacy was developed which enhanced the reputation of the Spanish kings. (5/n)

@historikerinnen @histodons @earlymodern

emdiplomacy OP , 1 month ago

According to Cario-Ivernizzi Spanish historiography continues to suffer from a lack of discourse surrounding its cultural history in general and with literary studies in particular, this is also reflected in new diplomatic #history.

However, historians specialised in Spanish #diplomacy continue to take steps forward in the field, not only with regard to the exchange of gifts but also gradually incorporating the analytical category of gender.

The career paths of Spanish & Portguese #emdiplomats have gained more attention in research only recently.

By placing more of a focus on integrating the activities of both official ambassadors and informal agents into diplomatic studies in the future, we will be able to obtain a more complete understanding of Spanish and European diplomacy in the #earlymodern era. (6/6)

@historikerinnen @histodons @earlymodern

emdiplomacy OP , 1 month ago

@historikerinnen @histodons @earlymodern

Today we want to introduce the next author of the #emdiplomacy #handbook: Jean-Claude Waquet. He is Directeur d’études émérite, Section des sciences historiques et philologiques, at the École pratique des hautes études. He published extensively on #emdiplomacy, e.g. François de Callières. L’art de négocier en France sous Louis XIV.
So who could be better to talk about the development of #earlymodern #French #diplomacy. (2/6)

emdiplomacy OP , 1 month ago

@historikerinnen @histodons @earlymodern

He argues that #French #diplomacy continuously changed over the centuries, which can be seen as a sign of modernisation.
While #emdiplomacy was originally regarded as part of a more general service to the king, it slowly developed into a more specialised field of activity. From this the need to a much more profecient education of #emdiplomats arose. (3/6)

#history #France #histodons #earlymodern

emdiplomacy OP , 1 month ago

@historikerinnen @histodons @earlymodern

However, these changes were not introduced against, but within the existing system, often by those in charge. Therefore, elements of a more professionalised system co-existed with patronage relations. Waquet argues that we should speak of “a gradual internal transformation rather than of a permanent conflict between old and new”. (4/6)

#emdiplomacy #diplomacy #earlymodern #history #France #histodons